As owners of a local restaurant located in the Gentilly area of New Orleans -- The JuJu Bag Cafe and Barber Salon -- who suffered a major theft that included more than $1,000 plus an iPhone on March 23, we are amazed that five weeks later, we have yet to hear from the New Orleans Police Department.

Please note, that even though the theft happened at 9:20 p.m., during business hours, the NOPD did not arrive until after midnight.

And though, in the presence of the NOPD, we were able to track the iPhone, which was enclosed in the stolen money bag, to Josephine and Freret streets, we were informed by NOPD that detectives would get in contact with us "in the morning."

By the next morning, through our own investigation, we knew the name, address and whereabouts of the suspect , who a dozen times that day, March 24, contacted us and tried to sell the stolen iPhone back to us.

We notified NOPD and told them where that stolen iPhone was, where it was resold -- and where the suspect lived. Nothing.

It seems as if tourists and the image of New Orleans are of greater concern to NOPD than the safety and livelihood of those of us who live and work here.

It is so disheartening when such little value is placed on our own residents.